Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
197,768 studies31 sourcesUpdated 29 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NCEuropean journal of pain (London, England)

Investigating Interoceptive Beliefs in Individuals With Endometriosis

  • Annabel Horsburgh1,2
  • Aidan Lewis1,3
  • Annaleise Naylor1,2
  • Simon J Summers4,5
  • Richard J Keegan6
  • Paul Hoskins1
  • Constantino Toufexis1,2
  • Jack Mest2,7
  • Andrew Flood1,2
7 affiliations
  1. 1Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
  2. 2Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Science, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
  3. 3Human Movement Science, Institute of Sport Science, University of Bundeswehr Munich, Neubiberg, Germany.
  4. 4School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
  5. 5Brain Stimulation and Rehabilitation (BrainstAR) Lab, School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  6. 6Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.
  7. 7Discipline of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Background

Research has indicated that individuals experiencing chronic pain differ in their ability to sense and interpret signals arising from inside the body, termed interoception. It is unclear whether differences in interoception exist for those with endometriosis, a common condition where pain is a major symptom.Methods

This study aimed to investigate whether interoceptive beliefs are altered in individuals with a diagnosis of endometriosis compared to those without, and whether pain experienced by those with endometriosis predicted interoceptive beliefs. Interoceptive beliefs were assessed in 247 participants with endometriosis and 98 participants without the condition. Those with endometriosis also reported their experience of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, and chronic pelvic pain.Results

Individuals with endometriosis reported that they noticed more internal signals but had reduced trust in these signals and were more worried by them. They also reported that they try to distract themselves from internal sensations more than those without endometriosis. Increased pain intensity predicted higher scores in one facet of interoceptive beliefs, such that higher levels of pain were associated with higher awareness of internal sensations in individuals with endometriosis.Conclusions

These results indicate that those with endometriosis differ in their interoceptive beliefs and that these differences may be influenced by their pain experience. Given these findings largely align with changes observed in other conditions marked by pain, it is possible that interoceptive changes may represent a transdiagnostic characteristic across individuals experiencing pain.Significance

This study addresses previously conflicted findings in the literature, providing a clearer picture of the changes in interoceptive beliefs present in people with endometriosis. Developing a stronger understanding of interoceptive functioning in this unique population may lead to opportunities to develop stronger interventions targeting bodily sensations in pain management in those with the condition.

Related

  1. The Impact of Wound‐Related Pain on Quality of Life, Psychosocial Well‐Being and Pain Beliefs in Individuals With Chronic Lower Limb Wounds
    Nicoletta Frescos, Laura E. Prendergast, Windy Cole
    International wound journalPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  2. Beyond intensity: pain distribution shapes healthcare- and treatment-seeking beliefs in individuals with and without clinical pain
    Tom Frankenstein, Sophia Intert, Tibor M. Szikszay +5
    PainPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Full textPharmacology & toxicologyPMC
  3. Pain Self-Efficacy as a Mediator between Fear-Avoidance Beliefs and Social Avoidance among Individuals with Comorbid Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Pain
    Nehal Sobhy Emaraa, Abeer Taha Ahmed Taha, Rania Sobhy Elgendy
    Egyptian Journal of Health CarePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPharmacology & toxicologyDOAJ
  4. Caregiver-Associated Physical Activity Patterns, Dietary Behaviors and Interventional Beliefs in Individuals with Down Syndrome: Insights from a Large European Survey
    Thomas Cahill, Valerie Nalesso, Pat Clarke +12
    NutrientsPeer-reviewedCC BYEpidemiology & public healthHAL
  5. Menstrual symptoms and infertility odds among individuals with co-occurring endometriosis and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome
    S. Werdin, Z. Wang, E. Huffman +7
    medRxivPreprintCC BY-NC-NDFull textObstetrics, gynaecology & paediatricsmedRxiv

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{horsburgh2026investigating,
  title = {{Investigating Interoceptive Beliefs in Individuals With Endometriosis}},
  author = {Annabel Horsburgh and Aidan Lewis and Annaleise Naylor and Simon J Summers and Richard J Keegan and Paul Hoskins and Constantino Toufexis and Jack Mest and Andrew Flood},
  journal = {European journal of pain (London, England)},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1002/ejp.70440},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13718909},
  note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Investigating Interoceptive Beliefs in Individuals With Endometriosis
AU  - Annabel Horsburgh
AU  - Aidan Lewis
AU  - Annaleise Naylor
AU  - Simon J Summers
AU  - Richard J Keegan
AU  - Paul Hoskins
AU  - Constantino Toufexis
AU  - Jack Mest
AU  - Andrew Flood
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/29
JO  - European journal of pain (London, England)
DO  - 10.1002/ejp.70440
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13718909
AB  - Background  Research has indicated that individuals experiencing chronic pain differ in their ability to sense and interpret signals arising from inside the body, termed interoception. It is unclear whether differences in interoception exist for those with endometriosis, a common condition where pain is a major symptom.Methods  This study aimed to investigate whether interoceptive beliefs are altered in individuals with a diagnosis of endometriosis compared to those without, and whether pain experienced by those with endometriosis predicted interoceptive beliefs. Interoceptive beliefs were assessed in 247 participants with endometriosis and 98 participants without the condition. Those with endometriosis also reported their experience of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, and chronic pelvic pain.Results  Individuals with endometriosis reported that they noticed more internal signals but had reduced trust in these signals and were more worried by them. They also reported that they try to distract themselves from internal sensations more than those without endometriosis. Increased pain intensity predicted higher scores in one facet of interoceptive beliefs, such that higher levels of pain were associated with higher awareness of internal sensations in individuals with endometriosis.Conclusions  These results indicate that those with endometriosis differ in their interoceptive beliefs and that these differences may be influenced by their pain experience. Given these findings largely align with changes observed in other conditions marked by pain, it is possible that interoceptive changes may represent a transdiagnostic characteristic across individuals experiencing pain.Significance  This study addresses previously conflicted findings in the literature, providing a clearer picture of the changes in interoceptive beliefs present in people with endometriosis. Developing a stronger understanding of interoceptive functioning in this unique population may lead to opportunities to develop stronger interventions targeting bodily sensations in pain management in those with the condition.
SN  - 1090-3801
SN  - 1532-2149
ER  -